Existing Guardians Ad Litem
In General
Accepting GAL Appointments
Payment Procedure and Forms
Community Resources
Court Forms
GAL Litigant Brochures
Practical Workshop Series
GAL Case Summary Form
GAL Frequently Asked Questions
Thank you for your dedication to serving some of New York City's most vulnerable people (namely, physically and mentally impaired people facing an eviction proceeding in Housing Court). If you wish to find out information on how to obtain payment upon completion of an APS case, print relevant court forms or forms necessary to obtain payment, learn more about community resources, or view information on past and upcoming Practical Workshop Series Topics, you may do so from this site.
If you need additional information, feel free to call or send an email to Denise Colón‑Greenaway, Esq., LMSW, Special Counsel for Court‑Based Interdisciplinary Programs, at (646) 386‑4200 or at GALCivil@courts.state.ny.us.
Accepting GAL Appointments
The GAL must submit a written consent to the Court upon accepting an appointment. Copies of a GAL Consent Form are available online and in the individual PARTS. Additionally, GALs should make arrangements with the court attorney to obtain a copy of the Order of Appointment and make copies of the ward’s file as soon as possible. See Frequently Asked Questions for more information about getting started, duties, and other important aspects of GAL work.
The Human Resources Administration (HRA) agrees to compensate Guardians Ad Litem (GALs) pursuant to a Court order when HRA petitions the Court for the appointment of a GAL for, in most instances, an Adult Protective Services (APS) client. Compensation is also rendered when the Court makes a sua sponte appointment for a tenant who is an existing APS client. Compensation is fixed at $600 which GALs are entitled to upon completion of the case. Cases where APS is not involved are considered pro-bono and, as such, receive no compensation.
In order to ensure that payment is forthcoming, the Guardian Ad
Litem must provide HRA with the following required documents:
1. A W-9 Federal Tax Form
2. Invoice and Verification
3. Order of Appointment
4. Affirmation or Affidavit of Services
A W-9 Federal Tax Form: This form must be submitted the first time a GAL submits a request for payment to HRA. This form does not have to be submitted in subsequent requests except when the GAL changes their address or their taxpayer Identification number. To print a copy of this form, please go to the W-9 Federal Tax Form.
Invoice and Verification: These are forms generated by HRA that must be submitted each time a GAL requests payment from HRA. To print a copy of these forms, please go to Invoice and Verification.
Order of Appointment: GALs must submit the Court Order appointing them. That Order must contain language stating that the Department of Social Services agrees to pay the GAL a specific fee for services rendered as a GAL. This Order must be signed and dated by the Court.
Affirmation or Affidavit of Services: Section 1204 of the CPLR requires the GAL to file either an Affirmation or Affidavit of Services with the Court. Attorneys file an Affirmation of Services. Non-attorneys file an Affidavit of Services, which must be notarized. HRA, in turn, requires that a copy of this Affirmation or Affidavit of Services be included in all requests for payments by GALs to HRA. To print a sample copy of these forms, please go to Affirmation of Services or Affidavit of Services. Please note that these are samples. Therefore, you may use whichever form is relevant to you as a template in composing your own form.
All forms should be forwarded to:
Irving Martinez
Human Resources Administration
Office of Legal Affairs
180 Water Street-16th Floor
New York, NY 10038
(212) 331-5032
Websites of interest
The following is a list of websites that provide excellent information on what to expect in Housing Court, details of nonpayment and holdover cases, and other procedural information.
NYS
Unified Court System's Court Help
Civil
Court of the City of New York
B Legal and Procedural Information (Housing)
LawHelp: Fact sheets and booklets about legal rights
Office of the NYS Attorney General: Tenant's Rights Guide
NYS Department of Housing and Community Renewal ("DHCR")
NYC Rent Guidelines Board/Housing Resources
NYC
Department of Housing Preservation and Development ("HPD")
FAQ about Marshals and Evictions:
marshal
evictions
marshal
judgments
NYC
Department of Buildings: certificate of occupancy,
violations
NYC
Department of Finance: owner information
Rent Stabilization
Association (RSA):
largest trade association
in New York City representing 25,000 property owners/agents
responsible for approximately one million units of housing.
Mediation
Referrals
Benefits for Seniors: Senior Citizen Rent Increase Exemption
Disability Rent Increase Exemption ("DRIE"): offers qualifying renters with disabilities exemptions from rent increases. Run by NYC Department of Finance.
NYC
Bar Association
Legal Help for the Public
Tenant.Net
City-Wide
Task Force on Housing Court
NYU Furman Center's List of Affordable Housing Organizations in NYC
Civil Court of the City of New York
Help Centers
Guardians Ad Litem are also encouraged to visit any one of the various Housing Court Help Centers. There, GALs may be able to obtain legal guidance and information from a Court Attorney experienced in landlord-tenant law. For more information on where each respective borough Help Center is located can be found at Help Centers.
Housing court forms can be found at the clerk’s office in each courthouse or online.
The GAL Program has created a brochure for litigants who are appointed a GAL. The brochure is available in English and Spanish. It details what to expect if a GAL is appointed to advocate on the litigant's behalf. It also describes the role of a GAL, what a GAL can and cannot do, and what to do if a litigant has a concern regarding their GAL.
GALs are strongly encouraged to send a copy of this brochure along with a letter of introduction to their ward, upon appointment.
GAL Litigant Brochure (English version)
GAL Litigant Brochure (Spanish version)
Guardians Ad Litem (GALs) in Housing Court- Information Sheet for OWNERS
The Practical Skills Workshop Series consists of monthly workshops designed to supplement initial training provided to GALs and address issues relevant to their work.
Workshops are facilitated by guest speakers who are experts in the respective topic. The workshops physically take place at 111 Centre Street. However, for convenience purposes, they are also offered via video conference at the various courthouses.
For information on the next workshop being offered, please refer to GAL Practical Skills Workshop Series.
To obtain the handouts to workshops offered in the past, please refer to the relevant title below:
• What
All GALs Should Know About Article 81 Guardianship
• How
to Prepare for Trial
• Working
with Mentally Ill or "Difficult" Clients
• Heavy
Duty Cleanings: Parameters, Guidelines & Strategies
for Working With Clients Who Exhibit Hoarding Behavior
• NYCHA
Administrative Procedures and Practices
• APS
Operations and Referrals
• Understanding
Section 8
• Identifying
Elder Abuse
• GAL Practice Issues: Ask Your Fellow GAL
• What makes a person "Article 81able"?
• Immigration Status and Public Benefits Eligibility
• Issues of Legal Importance Concerning Section 8
• Basics of Family Eviction Prevention Supplement (FEPS)
• Introduction to NYCHA Administrative Hearings and Article 78 Proceedings
• GAL Advocacy for Wards Living in SROs
• Case Law Updates and Practical Suggestions Applicable to Housing Court GALs
